Churches and monasteries

The towering spires of the medieval churches have beckoned visitors to the city for centuries. But modern churches have also written architectural history.

The twin Towers of the Stadtkirche, or parish church, of St. Dionys rise up above the centre of town. The Gothic building from the thirteenth century was a tribute by the people of Esslingen to the piety, but also the wealth of that city. Going back seven hundred years, the glass windows over the choir stalls are a jewel of European history. The excavations in the crypt showing the foundations of the oldest of the previous buildings have formed a museum that is well worth seeing. This is where the city took existence.

Just a few steps away, you will find the oldest Dominican monastery. The Münster, or Minster, of St. Paul is the oldest completely surviving Dominican monastery church in Germany. Other church orders set up monasteries in the city during the Middle Ages, and many of the buildings are still intact. This flourishing monastery life ended with the introduction of the reformation.

Somewhat away from the market, the slender tetrahedral tower of the late-Gothic Frauenkirche – or Church of our Lady – soars into the sky. There were international master craftsman at work here, craftsman that had also earned thair reputations in Freiburg and Milan.

The Südkirche, our southern church, can be seen on the same level on the opposite slope of the Neckar valley – one of the expressionist period.

As our stroll through the city, you will come across nine preserved Pfleghöfe, important locations of trade and administration for this flourishing town, which belongs to the monasteries, some of which were far from the city.